Archives: October 2003
10/19/03 Swap Meet A Success
Swap Meet A Success
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The 2003 Musicians Universe Family Swap Meet, sponsored by South Florida Musicians Association and held on October 19, was a great success. Over a dozen vendors participated, including a chiropractor and numerous musicians with instruments and equipment for sale. The event was organized by SFMA Vice President Lisa Fox, Business Representative Jake Luger, and member Linda Lou Nelson. Over 100 visitors attended, donating nearly $200 to the SFMA Musicians Education Fund. Plans are under way for next year's Swap Meet. (Pictured at right: Business Rep Jake Luger and VP Lisa Fox; below: scenes from the swap meet, including the Education Table manned by Directors Michael Harp and Holly Ballard.)
10/01/03 Legislative Roundup
Thanks to efforts of musicians nationwide, Congress has introduced bills to block the new FCC rules which increase concentration of media ownership. Grassroots and lobbying efforts have shown Congress that the new FCC rules would diminish the choices we have in watching, reading, or listening to local information. The dominance of ClearChannel in south Florida makes this all too obvious. Please call the Local for more information or how you can help.10/01/03 That Union Thing
Working America
AFL-CIO President John Sweeney has announced formation of a new union, Working America, which will push for legislation and policies that assist working families, such as overtime pay, minimum wages, and increased employment.
10/01/03 Symphonic Shorts
Palm Beach Opera Contract Ratified
Members of the Palm Beach Opera Orchestra have ratified a new three-year agreement. The new agreement includes wage increases of 3, 4, and 5% and pension contributions of 7.5, 8, and 8.5% in each of three years; a 28-day cancellation policy for all services; a new appeals committee structure giving the final authority in musical-performance player dismissal to the appeals committee; compensation for members of audition committees; and increased player input on hiring of extras and granting of tenure.
10/01/03 Recording Rap
Special Payments Fund
If you feel there was a discrepancy when you received your Sound Recording Special Payments Fund check and were not credited for recording sessions please call me and I will research your contracts for you to receive proper credit.
10/01/03 Casual Corner
MPTF Hurt by Recording Industry Decline
The world’s largest funder of free concerts, the Music Performance Trust Fund, will be presenting fewer concerts this year thanks primarily to music piracy.
MPTF is funded by royalties from the recording industry, as well as cosponsor contributions. With an 8% decline in record sales, primarily caused by music piracy, MPTF allocations will be down by $2.5 million, or 40%. It is estimated that 40% of sales worldwide are of illegal copies, to the tune of nearly $4.6 billion.
10/01/03 Official Business
Regular Membership Meeting
Date: Wednesday, November 19, 2003 at 7:30 PM
Location: Local 655 Offices, 5861 SW 21 St., Hollywood
Agenda: Amendments to the Bylaws. Click here for the proposals, click here for the Bylaw Committee report.
10/01/03 President's Report
… Elections in November … The nominations petitions have been received by the Election Committee, chaired once again by Scott Whitney, and are posted elsewhere in this issue. I am very pleased with the number and quality of the candidates, including a number of new faces, as well as the incumbents. For the first time in Local 655 history, we will be electing a slate of officers to run the Local for the next two years by mail ballot only. Please discuss this with your fellow members as we are looking forward to an involved membership. I can’t begin to express to you how important this process is …
